Reamer clamp for railroad car axles



Jan. 11, 1949. E. L. -BOWEN J 2,459,013

' REAMER CLAMP FOR RAILROAD GAR AXLEs Filed April 14, 1947 Patented Jan. 11, 1949 2.45am?, y' f mantenerme Foa aangesneden-*axons y Edward` L. BowenMcComb City, Miss. `.Amplication April 14, 1S)'l='7.,-Seifial` No. '7.4.1402l l 1 3- Claims. (Cl. x'3W-*13) This invention relates -to-.a-device-im reconditionng lathe center coutei'sinks'in railroad car axles. This is a necessaryv operation tolinsure '2a `proper freconditioning -of the" vjournal *bearings -1and wheel'iseats Theprincipal object of thisinvention is the provision of a clamp which is adapted to hold a boring or reaming tool in proper alignment for boring, countersinking, or reaming the countersinks for lathe centers in railroad car axles. The clamp herein claimed is a handy demountable device which is self-aligning and which automatically holds the Iboring or reaming tool in alignment with the longitnudial axis of the axle. A preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a side view thereof, partly in section, said embodiment being shown clamped in place on a car axle and holding a countersinking tool in appropriate alignment for a countersinking operation,

Fig. 2 is a top view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end View thereof, said view being also a sectional view on the line 3-3 of the car axle; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the moving parts of the clamp.

The clamp herein claimed is provided with a frame I!! which comprises a pair of spaced plates II and l2, respectively, held in appropriate position relative to each other by means of U-shaped plates or brackets I3 and I4y respectively, and bolts and spacers I5 and I5, respectively. It will be noted that side plates i I and I2 are each provided with a large substantially ellipse-shaped opening 2li. The purpose for which this opening is designed will hereinafter become apparent.

Supported by the frame are bell cranks 2 I each y bell crank being mounted on a fulcrum 22 which is connected to the side plates I I and l2. The outer free ends of bell cranks 2| are connected to longitudinally extending bars 23 and the inner free ends of said bell cranks are` connected to draw bars 24. It will be observed that inasmuch as the several bell cranks 2I are identical withl each other, bars 23 will necessarily always lie on parallel lines with their respective draw bars 24 and all movement between said bars will necessarily be parallel movement.

To control the relative movement between bars 23 and draw bars'24, a plate 30 is provided, said plate being connected to the free ends of draw bars 24 by means of bolts 3l. This plate is provided with a center hole which is threaded to receive a screw 32. At one end the screw abuts handle` 35. Reference to Fig. l will disclose 'that @serewiaz -comprisesa hollow-memberfwhichiisrp- 'fta-tabi'y 'mounted #en fa cyl-idonea] member 34.

This cylindrical member is connected to block 33 at one end, and at its free end it is provided with a collarf31. The collar and the block prevent longitudinal movement of screw 32. It will be understood that when the handle is turned in a direction forcing the screw against the block 33, the draw bars 24 will be pulled toward the handle and the bars 23 will be caused to move in the opposite direction. B-y the same token rods 23 and 24 will move toward each other and the net effect will. be to bring rods 23 closer to the center of the device under discussion.

It will be noted that the free ends of rods 23 which are situated opposite the free ends of rods 24 are provided with flanges 36 which cooperate with each other to provide V-sh-aped clamping or gripping members for gripping the journal bearing portions 40 of axles 4I. between said V-shaped members and journal bearing portions 40 takes place when handle 35 is turned as aforesaid. In consequence of clamping members 36 to journal bearing portion 40, the entire frame IG and especially its block 33 and the screw 32 whichV bears against said block, are lined up centrally of the axle.

Cylindrical member 34 is internally threaded and a correspondingly threaded hole in block 33 is provided as a continuation of the threaded hole in member 34. A second screw 5l! extends through the threaded holes in members 34 and 33, and it will be noted that thisscrew is provided With a handle 5| corresponding to handle 35 of the first-mentioned screw. Longitudinal movement of screw `5i! toward or away from the axle may be eiiected by turning handle 4l. The inner end of screw 50 is reduced to engage a socket in the housing of an air motor 55. The air motor 55 holds and actuates a tool 56 which in the drawing is a combination boring and countersinking tool. When the cutting end of the tool is inserted into the countersink 51 of the axle and the motor housing is in engagement with the reduced end of screw 50, both the tool and the motor housing are brought into alignment with the longitudinal axis of the axle. The bit 56 may be caused to bite into the countersink 5l by simply turning handle 5I and causing thereby an inward movement of screw 50 against the housing of the air motor 55.

The invention herein claimed is broader vthan A clamping action v ployed to clamp the device to the journal bearing portion of the axle. Other variations may be incorporated into the present device without departing from the essential principles and features of the invention. j

I claim:

1. vIn a device of the class described, a clamping jaw, a rod supporting said jaw, means forsup'- porting said rod for movement parallel to itself, and means for applying force to said rod which is always substantially at right angles to `the length of the rod. v

2. In a device of the class described, a clamping jaw, a rod supporting said jaw, a pair of bell- 4 crank levers, the ends of one arm of said levers being connected to said rod for movement parallel to itself, and means connected to the other ends of said levers to move said rod parallel to itself and to exert a pressure on it substantially always at right angles to its length.

3. In a device of the class described, a clamping jaw, a rod supporting said jaw, a pair of bell crank levers with substantially rectangular arms, one pair of arms dependent and another pair of said arms substantially horizontal and connected to said rod, and means connected to the dependent arms to move them to move the rod parallel to itself and to exert a thrust on it which is always substantially at right angles to the rod.

EDWARD L. BOWEN.

le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date v419,'788 Minnick Jan. 21, 1890 1,625,032 Kettler Apr. 19, 1927 

